CROWDSOURCING AS HUMAN NETWORKmappers.isig.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/CNR_crowd-sourcing.pdf · Open-source crowdsourcing crisis information platform Created by volunteer citizen

Co-financed by the EU

CROWDSOURCING AS HUMAN NETWORK FOR CRISIS AND PREVENTION

Analysis of literature review and

MAppERS activity


CROWDSOURCING IDEA “Crowdsourcing can be used to solve problems and produce information by asking a distributed group of people, often volunteers, to perform certain tasks […] it has been used to refer to two distinct models: one in which information is sought directly from affected communities […] and another in which technical or information management tasks, such as mapping or geo-tagging, are outsourced to a “crowd” of volunteers that can live anywhere (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2013)”

“[…] an individual, an institution, a non-profit organization, or company proposes to a group of individuals of varying knowledge, heterogeneity, and number, via a flexible open call, the voluntary undertaking of a task […] the crowd should participate bringing their work, knowledge and/or experience, always entails mutual benefit. The user will receive the satisfaction of a given type of need, be it economic, social recognition, self-esteem, or the development of individual skills, while the crowdsourcer will obtain and utilize to their advantage, that what the user has brought to the venture […] (Estellés-Arolas & González-Ladrón-de-Guevara, 2012)”


CROWDSOURCING FAMILY WEB TECHNOLOGY AND SMARTPHONE DEVICE EXPLODED IN THE GLOBAL MARKET

CROWDSOURCED VOLOUNTEERS SOLUTIONS RISE FOR DISASTER SUPPORT AND PREVENTION

VALUABLE SUPPORT FOR TERRITORIAL AGENCIES FOR THEIR HUGE CONTRIBUTION

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES (VTC)

INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL ORGANIZATION/AGENCIES ARE INCREASINGLY JOINING CROWDSOURCING

…

ALMOST REAL-TIME

COST - EFFICENCY

LOW COST

TIMELINESS

HUGE DATA SET

VOLUNTEERS BASED

GEOLOCATED

SELF-KNOWLEDGE

…

clipartpanda.com


CROWDSOURCE RISES QUESTIONS For a detailed analysis and consequent solutions:

Who are the players (crowd-crowd users) behind emergency/prevention?

How is crowdsourcing used to support emergency and decision making?

How is crowdsourcing integrated in existing network?

What are the opportunities and risks?

Is there a place for complex analytical crowdsourcing tasks in emergency response?

Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre http://www.climatecentre.org/

Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) https://www.gfdrr.org/

Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team [HOT] http://hot.openstreetmap.org/

iRevolution http://irevolution.net/

Google Crisis Response https://www.google.org/crisisresponse/

Crowdcrafting http://crowdcrafting.org

http://www.climatecentre.org/

http://www.climatecentre.org/

https://www.gfdrr.org/

https://www.gfdrr.org/

http://hot.openstreetmap.org/



http://irevolution.net/

http://irevolution.net/

https://www.google.org/crisisresponse/

https://www.google.org/crisisresponse/

http://crowdcrafting.org/

http://crowdcrafting.org/


CROWDSOURCING SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES

RESPONSIBLE

EVALUATORS

STAKEHOLDERS TECHNICIANS

RESEARCHERS

CITIZENS

DECISION

MAKERS

MAP-BASED PLATFORMS BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION

bigarise.com - sostariffe.it - siliconangle.com - allinonesrl.net - protezionecivile.gov.it

MAP-BASED PLATFORMS BY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE TEAMS

CROWD ROLE DATA TYPE

Sensor Raw

Social Computer Unstructured

Reporter Semi-structured

Microtasker Structured

(Poblet et al. 2014)

CO

MPLE

XIT

Y

INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION

VOLUNTEER TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES (VTC)

Co-financed by the EU VOLUNTEER TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES (VTC)

#1

MA

PPIN

G S

ERV

ICES

MapAction (2004)

Non-governmental organisation

Volunteer GIS-experts trained in disaster response

Gathers data and updates situation maps to support

local aid agencies

Google Map Maker (2008)

Detailed digital maps in lacking countries

Users have geo-spatial editing role for features and

info supported by other contributions (event-started)

First used in June 2008 after the cyclone Nargis

(Myanmar)

OpenstreetMap (OSM) (2004) Accessible mapping platform with free editing for all

Often kept within governments disaster management

Linked to Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)

GISCorps (2003) GIS services in short-term projects for

underprivileged communities


#2

MA

PPIN

G S

ERV

ICES

The Global Earth Observation

and Catastrophe Assessment

Network (GEO-CAN) (2010)

Network of scientists and other expert volunteers

Analyze small image patches ImageCat

Comparison of post- and pre-disaster satellite

imagery

Building-by-building assessment of the damage

Standby Task Force (SBTF)

(2010)

Permanent experts volunteer online community

Organized into individual teams (Monitoring, Geo-

Location, Media Monitoring, Verification, Analysis)

Transparent and open-source model


#3

TAG

GIN

G

MapMill (2012)

Microtask the analysis and geotag HR areal images

Classify infrastructure damage

Tomnod (2012)

Slice HR satellite imagery into small squares to group separately

volunteers on geotag

Geotag by multiple volunteers to identify the locations of

maximum agreement with statistical algorithms

MicroMappers (2012) Mass of tweets in the free and open-source crowdsourcing

platform

Machine learning algorithms to filter tweets

App to check and geotag tweets on field by volunteer


#3

TweetClicker app ImageClicker app Meier 2013

Hörler 2014


#4

ON

LIN

E C

RIS

IS

PLA

TFO

RM

Ushahidi(2008)

Open-source crowdsourcing crisis information platform

Created by volunteer citizen reporters and bloggers

Report human right violations via social media

Time stamped and geo-tagged crisis map, where the public could

receive early warnings before the mainstream with no censorship

Random Hacks of

Kindness

(RHoK)(2009)

Mobilize volunteer expert programmers to create open

technology solutions

During a RHoK event expert developers sit together to

brainstorm, program and find solutions that can have a tangible

impact (App)

Heinzelman & Waters, 2010

Patrick, 2011

Blanchard & Chapman, 2012


#4

Libya Ushahidi

Haiti OpenStreetMap

http://libyacrisismap.net

http://neis-one.org/

http://libyacrisismap.net/

http://libyacrisismap.net/






CROWD AS SENSOR

electronicsnews.com.au - techoctavo.com – indiatimes.com

SMARTPHONE SENSORS

Light

Proximity sensor

Microphones (ultrasound)

Touch

Position

• GPS – Wifi (fingerprints)

• Cellular (tri-lateration)

• NFC, Bluetooth (beacons)

Accelerometers (50Hz uniform sampling)

Magnetometer (50Hz uniform sampling)

Gyroscope (50Hz uniform sampling)

Pressure

Temperature

Humidity

Barometer (20Hz uniform sampling)

Ambient light sensors

MAppERS advantage

Easy-to-use for case studies

Scale adaptable

Contextually relevant


CROWD AS SENSOR - EXAMPLES

electronicsnews.com.au - techoctavo.com – indiatimes.com

Density mapping

SMARTPHONE UTILITIES

Heating real-time distribution

Density population

Traffic analysis

Air quality hotspot

GPS position emergency devices

Emissions measures Goldman, et al., 2009

Mun, et al., 2009

Pan, Zheng, Wilkie, & Cyrus, 2013

Schmid, 2013

http://spectrum.ieee.org/

http://wesenseit.eu/

Crowd-mapping Civil Protection measurements






CROWD AS A SOCIAL COMPUTER / REPORTER

psychlopedia.wikispaces.com/

Access to on-time information is fundamental for disaster responders

Tweets by crisis-affected volunteers

Social media filtering by algorithms:

Standardize information

Filtering “noise”

Analysis for emergency/crisis management

Machine-learning techniques

MAppERS advantage


Scale adaptable


MICROBLOGGERS

Co-financed by the EU CROWD AS A SOCIAL COMPUTER / REPORTER

EXAMPLES


Cross-referencing algorithm

Triangulation with eyewitnesses reports

Scoring

Training online guide

Automated data mining

Continually updated list

Stream of content-filtered media


CROWD AS A MICROTASKER


Active crowdsourcing with specific tool and high-quality information

Actions by external volunteers

Specific-context supercomputer

Image observation

Mapping labeling and editing

Translation

Parallel actions

MAppERS advantage


Scale adaptable


MICROBLOGGERS

ANALYSIS

MONITORING

GEO-LOCATION

MEDIA MONITORING

VERIFICATION


CROWD AS A MICROTASKER - EXAMPLES

Barrington, L., Ghosh, S., Greene, M., Har-Noy, S., Berger, J., Gill, S., et al. (20.

October 2011). Crowdsourcing earthquake damage assessment using remote

sensing imagery. Annals of Geophysics (54)


SMARTPHONE SOLUTIONS IN MAPPERS ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC AIM AND DBMS SOLUTIONS WITH PROJECT PARTNERS

THE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI) DESIGN PROCESS BASED ON APP REVIEW

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DBMS) STATE-OF-THE-ART

THE DEVELOPMENT

TESTING AND FEEDBACK

TRAINING AND PILOTING

FIRS APP DRAFT – FEBRUARY 2015

1. REPORT ON DBMS

2. REPORT ON DESK-BASED GRAPHIC SOLUTIONS

AND SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS

http://mappers.isig.it/partner-area/


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 1/6

GUI design process

Two sets of elements:

1. Visible content of the GUI (images,

texts and menus that the user sees

2. Structure beneath it (how the

elements are linked together, and

what options are presented to the

user)


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 2/6 - USABILITY

Usability and its components

Three general guidelines for information

design:

1. Organize: providing users with clear,

simple, and consistent conceptual

structure

2. Economize: maximizing the

effectiveness of a minimal set of

graphical items

3. Communicate: matching the

presentation to the capabilities of the

user.


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 3/6 - LAYOUT

Left: disorganized screen layout; right: organized screen layout

(source: [Marcus et al.97])

The layout is the spatial organization of

the elements on the screen. It determines

what graphical element is displayed

where. Three rules in defining the

disposition of graphical elements on the

screen:

1. Using a grid structure

2. Standardizing the screen layout

3. Grouping related elements together


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 4/6 - NAVIGATION

Left: a screen with two toolbars (top and

right) (source: [Marcus et al.97]); right:

toolbar with subsections

Navigation regards the link between the

elements, and the process that allow the

user to go from a function of the software

to another.


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 5/6 - USE OF COLOR

Color and usability

Each principle of information

design can be applied to the

use of color [Marcus et

al.97]:

1. Organize: consistency

should be followed in

the use of color – color

can be used to group

elements together

2. Economize: no more than

5 +- 2 colors

Communicate: strong

contrast between colors

should be created to

focus the users’ attention

[Garrett11].


(GUI) DESIGN IN MAPPERS 6/6 - ICONS

Left: MAppERS website; right: color-blind version of MAppERS

website, created with etre.com

Left: icon for 'zoom' that does not follow

external consistency; right: icon for

'zoom' that follows external consistency

[Marcus et al.97])


(GUI) DESIGN REVIEW Analysis smartphone app on “hazards – emergency – prevention”

Selection criteria of 51 app based on criteria:

Simplicity

Innovativeness

Clarity to the user

Categorize by:

Type of natural hazard

Kind of issue they tackle (preparedness, emergency, etc.)

Type of users they are addressed to (volunteers, technicians, etc.)

Filtered over 100.000 user

Android SDK availability

American Red Cross First Aid (more than 500.000 users)

Disaster Alert (more than 500.000 users)

Simple Weather Alert (more than 500.000 users)

American Red Cross: Earthquake (more than 100.000

users)

American Red Cross: Hurricane (more than 100.000 users)

American Red Cross: Tornado (more than 100.000 users)

NOAH Project (more than 100.000 users)


(GUI) DESIGN REVIEW – EXAMPLES 1/2

1. Standardized layout, with elements displayed on a

grid structure.

2. Navigation is easier by a toolbar, that shows where

the user currently is (by putting a red bar on the tab

currently open) and what are the alternatives.

1. Interactive elements in the middle of the screen (‘Call 911’)

that follow identical “flat” style

2. Color use is consistent (red for highlighted elements, and

black and white for the rest), economic (three colors)

3. A light, neutral background


(GUI) DESIGN REVIEW – EXAMPLES 2/2

1. Not-standardized layout, the three pages use different spatial organization of the elements.

2. The first screenshot presents a grid-like structure that is totally missing from the second screenshot, and is partially

present in the third screenshot. This causes confusion in the user

3. Navigation is made harder by the lack of a toolbar: it is not clear how the user can go back to previous menu,

nor what choices the user have.


SMARTPHONE FOR MAPPERS AIM Volunteer mapping editing (Mapping-Geotagging) in field

activity

Classify damage or buildings by aerial images then verify with people

Sensor data by internal/external tools (real-time hydrometer for flood modeling) – link with DMI ?

Distribution of people real-time

Increase accuracy with cross-referencing (triangulation or eyewitness)

Crowd density for huge events

Use web platform like Ushaidhi to check report (triangulate reports)

….

MAppERS advantage


Scale adaptable


HCRD

FHFRS

EASS CNR


THANK YOU…

Hörler, R. (2014). Crowdsourcing In The Humanitarian Network – An Analysis Of The Literature Classify damage or buildings by aerial images then verify with people. Bachelor Thesis. Department of environmental science (D-USYS), ETH Zurich.

McClendon, S., & Robinson, A. C. (2012). Leveraging Geospatially-Oriented Social Media Communications in Disaster Response. Proceedings of the 9th International ISCRAM Conference, (S. 10). Vancouver, Canada.

J. Frascara: “Communication Design: Principles, Methods, and Practice”, Allworth Press, New York, 2004.

J. J. Garrett: “The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web and Beyond, 2 nd Edition”, New Riders, Berkeley CA, 2011.

B. Wong: “Color blindness”, Nature Methods, 8.6: 441, 2011

S. Fowler & V. Stanwick: “Web Application Design Handbook – Best Practicesfor Web-Based Software”, Elsevier, San Francisco, 2004.

W. Quesenbery: ”The Five Dimensions of Usability”, in Albers, M. J. and Mazur, B. (Eds.), Content and Complexity: Information Design in Technical Communication, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ, 2003

Barbier, G., Zafarani, R., Gao, H., Fung, G., & Liu, H. (September 2012). Maximizing benefits from crowdsourced data. Computational & Mathematical Organization Theory (18), p. 257-279.

Foulser-Pigott, R., Spence, R., Saito, K., Brown, D., & Eguchi, R. (2012). The use of remote sensing for post-earthquake damage assessment: lessons from recent events, and future prospects. WCEE

Beland, P. (17. November 2013). Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. Retrieved 7. August 2014 from http://hot.openstreetmap.org/updates/2013-11-17_r%C3%A9ponse_dopenstreetmap_au_typhon_haiyan_yolanda

Starbird, K., & Palen, L. (2011). "Voluntweeters": Self-Organizing by Digital Volunteers in Times of Crisis. Vancouver, Canada

Atkinson, G. M., & Wald, D. J. (June 2007). "Did You Feel It?" Intensity Data: A Surprisingly Good Measure of Earthquake Ground Motion. Seismology Research Letters (78).

http://hot.openstreetmap.org/updates/2013-11-17_r%C3%A9ponse_dopenstreetmap_au_typhon_haiyan_yolanda







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CROWDSOURCING AS HUMAN NETWORKmappers.isig.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/CNR_crowd-sourcing.pdf · Open-source crowdsourcing crisis information platform Created by volunteer citizen